What makes a "good" pattern and what makes a "great" pattern? i know the rule of anything over 100 hits at minimum in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards is good for hunting. is that a "good" pattern. I'm shooting Hevi13 3.5 2.25oz #7 and i'm getting 35 hits in a 3inch circle, 223 in the 10, and 416 in a 20 inch circle @ 40 yards using a range finder. This is my best pattern so far. Using hevi 13 3.5 2.25 #6 i'm getting 17 in a 3 inch circle, 157 in a 10 inch circle and 323 in a 20 inch circle. Are these good, above average, great? Should i keep looking for a better combo. Only thing left would be try nitro's. I literally have 7 chokes and 13 different boxes of ammo. thanks for any help/advice
sounds dang good to me you tried the magnum blend hevi shot yet its awesome.
Quote from: devin4484 on February 06, 2011, 08:20:20 PM
sounds dang good to me you tried the magnum blend hevi shot yet its awesome.
yes i tried the blends and was not impressed. it was the first of the Hevi's that i tired. winchester #5 HV that i bought at wal-mart shot better then they did, so needless to say i was a little disappointed. but the straight #6 and #7 seem to do good.
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 06, 2011, 08:26:26 PM
Quote from: devin4484 on February 06, 2011, 08:20:20 PM
sounds dang good to me you tried the magnum blend hevi shot yet its awesome.
yes i tried the blends and was not impressed. it was the first of the Hevi's that i tired. winchester #5 HV that i bought at wal-mart shot better then they did, so needless to say i was a little disappointed. but the straight #6 and #7 seem to do good.
yeah i tryed the blends to and only got like 125 in a 10 inch circle.I shoot 3.5 2.25 6 and getting 172 in a 10 inch circle.Im done.Thats not polished either.So u should be good to go on yours.Nice.
Quote from: OLE RASPY on February 06, 2011, 08:30:56 PM
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 06, 2011, 08:26:26 PM
Quote from: devin4484 on February 06, 2011, 08:20:20 PM
sounds dang good to me you tried the magnum blend hevi shot yet its awesome.
yes i tried the blends and was not impressed. it was the first of the Hevi's that i tired. winchester #5 HV that i bought at wal-mart shot better then they did, so needless to say i was a little disappointed. but the straight #6 and #7 seem to do good.
yeah i tryed the blends to and only got like 125 in a 10 inch circle.I shoot 3.5 2.25 6 and getting 172 in a 10 inch circle.Im done.Thats not polished either.So u should be good to go on yours.Nice.
I guess i'm one of those who is always going to look for a "better mouse trap" LOL
I used H 13 3.5" 2 1/4oz 6 shot one season and had two of the shells crimp break and pellets filled my vest, But dang they shoot good. Have you had that problem?
Quote from: devin4484 on February 06, 2011, 08:44:41 PM
I used H 13 3.5" 2 1/4oz 6 shot one season and had two of the shells crimp break and pellets filled my vest, But dang they shoot good. Have you had that problem?
not yet but they have only been in a box and then the range. never carried them in the field yet
Look at the percentage of shot inside to 10" at 40.
You want 30 to 50 percent.
I use h 133.5 2 1/4oz #7s I get 351 in a 10in. @ 40 yards. I'm fine with that...
Quote from: BigHooks on February 06, 2011, 08:54:33 PM
I use h 133.5 2 1/4oz #7s I get 351 in a 10in. @ 40 yards. I'm fine with that...
Wow, guess i need to keep looking
Anyone know how many pellets are in a Hevi 13 3.5 2.25 oz #7?
You will not be able to get an accurate count. hevi varies so much in size.
What is your gun and choke?
Mossburg 835 24 inch barrel and i'm using a kick's .680 Just did a deep cleaning on my barrel today all i can say is WOW. Thought my barrel was clean but i guess not. going to hit the range next weekend and see if my numbers come up.
You numbers will come up. If you really want to improve get a Pure Gold .670 choke or an Indian Creek .675. These will help a lot, esp after the cleaning.
Quote from: sugarray on February 06, 2011, 09:25:05 PM
You numbers will come up. If you really want to improve get a Pure Gold .670 choke or an Indian Creek .675. These will help a lot, esp after the cleaning.
Already tired the Pure gold, shot just as good numbers as the kick's but i like the overall pattern the kicks .680 gave me. just sold the pure gold and my primos tightwad choke and i'm oing to use the money to buy a IC. i hoping for good thing out of the IC
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 06, 2011, 09:34:34 PM
Quote from: sugarray on February 06, 2011, 09:25:05 PM
You numbers will come up. If you really want to improve get a Pure Gold .670 choke or an Indian Creek .675. These will help a lot, esp after the cleaning.
Already tired the Pure gold, shot just as good numbers as the kick's but i like the overall pattern the kicks .680 gave me. just sold the pure gold and my primos tightwad choke and i'm oing to use the money to buy a IC. i hoping for good thing out of the IC
I don't think you will get better than the PG with the IC. But, I love to shoot too and like to see what my gun will do.
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 06, 2011, 08:17:35 PM
I'm shooting Hevi13 3.5 2.25oz #7 and i'm getting 35 hits in a 3inch circle, 223 in the 10, and 416 in a 20 inch circle @ 40 yards using a range finder.
Are we really trying to improve on these numbers??? Come on guys, this is getting out of hand. If you can't kill a turkey with a pattern like this, you are shooting way too far at birds. Stop. Save your time and money. Spend it scouting, practicing your calling or getting in shape for the season.
QuoteI'm shooting Hevi13 3.5 2.25oz #7 and i'm getting 35 hits in a 3inch circle, 223 in the 10, and 416 in a 20 inch circle @ 40 yards using a range finder. This is my best pattern so far. Using hevi 13 3.5 2.25 #6 i'm getting 17 in a 3 inch circle, 157 in a 10 inch circle and 323 in a 20 inch circle.
I've gotten 255-280 in 10" with 3" #7's, and 143-157 in 10" with 3" #6's in an 870.
That's 1/4 Ounce Less Shot than what you're shooting,
and yet nobody has accused me of having great patterns with these numbers.
This website has a way of making really good patterns seem average.
Thats good enouph for me
Either way, you've got one dead turkey on your hands. But.....if I was spending the cash on Hevi, I'd expect better out of 6's than "157 in a 10 inch circle ".
Quote from: hobbes on February 07, 2011, 12:57:29 PM
Either way, you've got one dead turkey on your hands. But.....if I was spending the cash on Hevi, I'd expect better out of 6's than "157 in a 10 inch circle ".
I've spent alot of money on ammo and chokes for this gun (More then i paid for the whole gun). Maybe it's just my gun. i've tried a lot of chokes (Jellyhead, Puregold, Kicks, Comp'n'choke, etc) and boxes, and boxes and more boxes of ammo. the #6 hevi's , up until last weekend were the best numbers i ever got. then tried the #7 this past weekend. think i'm going to polish my barrel this week and see if my numbers go up. if they dont i might just want to look for a different gun.........
QuoteI'd expect better out of 6's than "157 in a 10 inch circle
Those #6 numbers are with 1 3/4 Oz. shells, not 2 Oz. shells.
Quote from: 3" 870 Shell Shucker on February 07, 2011, 06:56:07 PM
QuoteI'd expect better out of 6's than "157 in a 10 inch circle
Those #6 numbers are with 1 3/4 Oz. shells, not 2 Oz. shells.
then those #'s sound good i'm getting less with a 2.25 oz thats .75 oz more then what your shooting
I would not be happy with 223 with the 7s they are much better then that
I got 323 at 40 yards
That's more then enough don't get me wrong but that would be a big drop at 50
3" shell shucker, I never read your post before i posted, so my comment was directed toward Jourdan's numbers. The 157 w/ 1 3/4 oz of shot sounds much better than 157 w/ 2 1/4 oz of shot.
Jourdan, I believe you said your shooting an 835. I'm not a Mossy fan, but I've never heard of anyone acuse the 835 of anything but great patterns. Like said above, this site has a way of making you think great patterns are mediocre. 157 in a 10 will stomp a turkey in the ground everytime you pull the trigger, provided you shoot straight. I wouldn't buy a new gun over those numbers.
I don't even shoot Hevi shot, but shoot lead, so you know I'm satisfied with less than top performance. However, less than top performance doesn't mean less than adequate.
Quote from: maustypsu on February 06, 2011, 10:04:42 PM
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 06, 2011, 08:17:35 PM
I'm shooting Hevi13 3.5 2.25oz #7 and i'm getting 35 hits in a 3inch circle, 223 in the 10, and 416 in a 20 inch circle @ 40 yards using a range finder.
Are we really trying to improve on these numbers??? Come on guys, this is getting out of hand. If you can't kill a turkey with a pattern like this, you are shooting way too far at birds. Stop. Save your time and money. Spend it scouting, practicing your calling or getting in shape for the season.
I agree with you in this case... All of this has gotten stupid.. 2 years ago with 6s if someone put up 223 at 40 everyone would be stating "awesome" "great Pattern" etc etc and all of a sudden with 7s it isnt good enough..
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 07, 2011, 05:09:41 PM
think i'm going to polish my barrel this week and see if my numbers go up. if they dont i might just want to look for a different gun.........
Your numbers will go up at least 15% based on what I have seen by polishing the barrel. Even without polishing your barrel, I would hunt with your rig all day everyday.
You can get too much of a good thing and when you get one up in your face, you are so tight that you have no forgiveness.
any of the numbers that you stated will lay down a bird at 40 yards. I wouldn't worry about numbers, it's a clean kill that matters.
After looking again at your post, you are shooting 3.5" shells and 2 1/4 oz of #6 and #7. Those numbers are no where near where they should be.
#1 are you shooting first and then drawing your 10" circle?
You have deep cleaned now, so your numbers will improve. I don't see how the Kicks would beat the PG. I wouldn't have gotten rid of that one, but since you did, the IC in a .675 will improve your numbers to where I think they should be with those loads.
Quote from: Spuriosity on February 08, 2011, 08:51:51 AM
Quote from: shootumindaface on February 07, 2011, 11:42:41 PM
Quote from: maustypsu on February 06, 2011, 10:04:42 PM
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 06, 2011, 08:17:35 PM
I'm shooting Hevi13 3.5 2.25oz #7 and i'm getting 35 hits in a 3inch circle, 223 in the 10, and 416 in a 20 inch circle @ 40 yards using a range finder.
Are we really trying to improve on these numbers??? Come on guys, this is getting out of hand. If you can't kill a turkey with a pattern like this, you are shooting way too far at birds. Stop. Save your time and money. Spend it scouting, practicing your calling or getting in shape for the season.
I agree with you in this case... All of this has gotten stupid.. 2 years ago with 6s if someone put up 223 at 40 everyone would be stating "awesome" "great Pattern" etc etc and all of a sudden with 7s it isnt good enough..
I gotta disagree, Shootum. Two years ago, 223 with 6s @ 40 yds would be "awesome" and "a great pattern", and it still would be today. The fact remains that 223 with 7s is not "awesome' or "a great pattern". It is a good pattern that will kill turkeys all day long, but the shells are capable of much better. It's his money. He is free to spend it any way he wants. If we were all concerned with "adequate", we would all be shooting lead. Where'd be the fun in that?
Im not telling him how to spend his money or I am not saying the shell is not capable of more.. But the only reason to have more in a ten inch circle is to extend your range.. Its widely accepted on here that 100 in a ten inch circle is a standard minimum and 50 or so more than that for a buffer.. Than when someone puts up a measely 223 with the 7s everyones telling them to go for better..
As for lead, if I could find a lead 6 load in the 20 that would put up 140 in a ten inch circle at 40 I would switch back..
Quote from: CadeCart on February 08, 2011, 10:51:59 AM
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 06, 2011, 08:17:35 PM
Hevi13 3.5 2.25oz #7 - 223 in the 10, and 416 in a 20 inch circle @ 40
Hevi 13 3.5 2.25 #6 i'm getting 17 in a 3 inch circle, 157 in a 10 inch circle and 323 in a 20 inch circle. Are these good, above average, great? Should i keep looking for a better combo.
Too many opinions on here to even begin to ask a question like that. Some would keep looking for a better combo and maybe even some would try different gun if they are dead set on shooting 3.5-2.25-7. Some would say why even spend the coin on Hevi-13 if 40 is your max.
If you enjoy tinkering with your gun and choke/load combos then keep looking and realize you may never settle. If you are comfortable with your numbers then just use the gun and stack up some gobblers with it. I see nothing wrong with your numbers.
After all my babble, this really sums it up very nicely. This is what it is all about.
Quote from: sugarray on February 08, 2011, 09:57:22 AM
After looking again at your post, you are shooting 3.5" shells and 2 1/4 oz of #6 and #7. Those numbers are no where near where they should be.
#1 are you shooting first and then drawing your 10" circle?
You have deep cleaned now, so your numbers will improve. I don't see how the Kicks would beat the PG. I wouldn't have gotten rid of that one, but since you did, the IC in a .675 will improve your numbers to where I think they should be with those loads.
Yes i shot first then drew the circle.
I would have thought the puregold would have done better then the kick but the numbers dont lie. numbers below are 40 yards, barrel to target using a range finder
Kick's Gobblin Thunder .680
Hevi13 3.5 2.25oz #7
35 hits in a 3inch circle, 223 in the 10, and 416 in a 20 inch circle
Hevi 13 3.5 2.25 #6
17 in a 3 inch circle, 157 in a 10 inch circle and 323 in a 20 inch circle
PureGold .670
Hevi13 3.5 2.25 #7
13 in a 3 inch circle, 147 in a 10 inch circle, pattern hit to the left so i cant get the full 20 inch count
Hevi13 3.5 2.25 #6
23 in a 3 inch circle, 132 in a 10 inch circle, and 256 in a 20 inch circle